KarunaNews Story

While the Indian women's cricket premier league, a female version of the Indian Premier League, has become one of the world's most lucrative women's franchises, girls in rural areas can still find it difficult to get a chance to play. That’s why, four years ago, police constable Gulab Singh Shergill, 35, started the Gulab Singh Cricket Team in his small village in Punjab state. He pays for a part time coach, uniforms and equipment, and has donated part of his land for the cricket pitch. For these 18 girls, playing cricket is a break from the societal duties that come with being a girl. "When we are playing a match, I feel like I am wearing a jersey for Team India," says 10-year-old Harsimrit Kaur. Shergill’s eldest sister, Jasveer Kaur, who was married at 19 and then a mother, comes to the pitch at least once a week. "I want to use all my power to help girls grow,” she says.